life and work ofedith nesbit

n She was an English author and poet whose children's works were published under the name of E Nesbit.

n Her father died suddenly when she was four and the crippling loss of a parent is a central theme of The Railway Children, which has recently been adapted for the stage by playwright Mike Kenny.

n In addition to The Railway Children, Nesbit's best-known books include The Story of the Treasure Seekers, The Phoenix and the Carpet and The Enchanted Castle.

n She was also a political activist and one of the founders of the Fabian Society, which laid many of the foundations of the Labour Party.